Rain Dragon's Room!

So, there were two rooms that I wanted "done" for Rain Dragon's birthday party. One was the living room (since that was where we were congregating) and the other was her bedroom. I admit I wanted to show off the clouds.

Well, I didn't complete finish her room but it's pretty close! The Sasquatch says it's the nicest room in the house.  I am rather proud!

We hung up her 100 Wishes Quilt as it was too beautiful to use:

And the Sasquatch's mom sewed the bedding and coordinating curtains:

we are doing the Japanese tatami mat floor sleeping since we can't get her to sleep in a crib!

I wasted many happy hours just looking at fabric before I settled on these! The  constellation fabric was my favorite!  I wasn't sure if the  rainbow zigzag and the flowers  would go well together, but now I love it.

Her name spelled out with  Melissa Sweet's Alphabet Wall Cards:

And her reading corner:

the leaf canopy is from IKEA, it reminded my of My Neighbor Totoro!

And then there is her balloon light, floating in the sky:

This light was a huge splurge! But we couldn't resist.

But I didn't quite finish everything. I meant to do something more interesting than just simple blue paint for her IKEA dresser. And the unfinished switchplate and blank wall just cry out for something more colorful:

the animal lights I bought years ago, I don't think they make them anymore!

And behind the door is her  growth tree that I drew but didn't paint:

I'll post a photo when it's finished!

But, at least, the room is finished enough for her to enjoy it:

already a mess!

100 Wishes

I felt like I didn't show a good photo of the entire Bai Jia Bei in yesterday's post and the quilt is just too beautiful not to:

the sasquatch had to stand on a table to get the whole thing in the photo!

red egg party with family

Rain Dragon's second red egg party was a family one in Upstate NY:

She stayed awake for some of this one:

to the delight of Aunties and Grandmas:

We combined the party with my niece Lily's birthday:

birthday girl and the baby!

But Rain Dragon got the best present. It was the 100 Wishes Quilt that began at the baby shower! They finished it! Isn't it beautiful?

I was told that so many people sent in fabric that even though it had originally been planned as baby size, it turned out queen size.  I was so touched to see all the people who contributed, people from all parts of my life-- local friends:

we had another red egg party with these people!

far away family:

all the way from Taiwan!

author/illustrator colleagues:

I like how Anna  made all her pieces color coordinated!

I particularly love the material Barbara chose because it reminds me of my cherry bedsheets

and new cousins:

love the Star Wars wish!

The quilt was backed with this neat dragon fabric:

The whole thing was perfect for Rain Dragon:

Thanks so much, quilters!

The talented quilters from l-r: Carri, Janet, Cappy (who didn't do any quilting but is in the photo because he thought this was a pile on game), Lily, Lissy and my mom

A 100 Good Wishes Quilt, a Bai Jia Bei,  is based on the Chinese tradition where family and friends each add a piece of cloth to make a quilt for a new baby. Each piece of cloth symbolizes their wish for the child and the quilt becomes a precious way to show how welcome the baby is into the world.